When we tried to research how to get to Machu Picchu we ran into lots of conflicting information. Some was old, some was just plain confusing. So we are documenting what we learned in the hopes of it helping someone else make the trip. I’ve not included any info here about the 4 day hike along th…
Blog posts : "2014 Peru & Galapagos 2014 US & Canada"
On the way to Machu Picchu
We came to the realization this morning that we had no way to make our flight out of Cusco in a few days because the train back to Ollantaytambo didn’t give us enough time to drive from Ollantaytambo to Cusco. While the web articles say this is a 45 minute drive, in reality current road conditions …
Cusco
Remember the earlier comments about how the doorways here are short because Peruvian’s are short? This picture tells the story. The doorway is the kitchen door in the B&B where we are staying.
In the morning when Lilly heard we had yet to buy our Machu Picchu park passes she about had a con…
Off to Peru
Yesterday we got up at 4:15am for our 6:00 flight - first leg Seattle to San Francisco. On board were two flight attendant trainees. I think they might have been 12. No, I exaggerate, they were probably more like 17. Anyway, near the end of the flight they sat down in the seats just in front of …
Hurricane Ridge
This morning we got up and drove up to Hurricane Ridge. Oddly, Dave had never been there despite having hiked all over the Olympic Mountains as a kid. It was a spectacular day for the drive up.
Then we headed to the Camaraderie Winery for a picnic and some wine tasting.
It was the perfec…
Logbook Found!!!
We spent the week in Seattle visiting friends and family and getting ready to leave the USA for points south.
As we were packing up at the hanger today, Dave was emptying the trunk of his car, and low and behold.... there was his FAA logbook! We had believed the logbook lost in the hanger break in…
Kudos to Dr Ochenrider
This week in Seattle we have a ton of errands to run, friends and family to visit, and a few doctor's appointments to attend to. Today we saw our travel doctor. He specializes in travel medicine - so things like what vaccinations should you get for travel to XYZ country and so forth. Important wh…
Road Trip Wrap Up
Today we drove home to Seattle - wrapping our summer road trip. A few trip stats:
- Drove over 6000 miles in 38 days
- Visited 4 Canadian provinces and 12 US states
- Stayed in 19 hotels, two family cabins, and one friend's house
When we first packed the car, Marla burst out laughing - not belie…
Crater Lake
Today we left Klamath Falls on a gorgeous fall day and toured Crater Lake. None of us had ever been there. Dad and Marla had tried in vein twice to go see it - but in the spring and fall often the park is closed due to early or late snowfall. But there was no danger of snow today!
We we…
Klamath Falls
We left Point Richmond this morning, picked Dad and Marla up in Sacremento and headed for Klamath Falls. Long day on the road, but when we reached the hotel we were lucky enough that Christina had packed our dinner - leftovers from Zachary's Pizza - Chicago Deep Dish. Mmmmm. Zachary's is the best!…
Sonoma
This morning we left with Mike and Christina to head for Sonoma. First stop was Gloria Ferrer for some champagne. The poor gal serving the wine started to put a big tray with glasses on the table, and it was one of those slow motion things where the tray, not quite onto the table, started to tip …
Just call him Captain Dave
Yesterday we drove up to San Francisco, stopping along the way for lunch with Dave's Uncle Andy and Aunt Marie. Then dinner with friends in San Francisco. We arrived late at the home of Mike and Christina in Point Richmond. Some might remember it was here on their dock that we stayed - precisely …
San Jose
Today we left Melissa's Dad in Bakersfield to hang out with the grandkids and headed for San Jose to see Dave's cousin Judy and her hubby Robert. By sheer coincidence, Judy's brother Gerry was in town for training for a new job, so we got to see a "bonus cousin" tonight that we've not seen in years.…
Play Ball!
Yesterday we drove to Bakersfield CA where Melissa's brother and his family live. We hung out and had dinner. Then today we got to go to the kids' baseball games. There is nothing cuter than kids playing baseball.
This is Logan. Note the intense look of concentration as he swings, and unfort…
Sedona
Today we drove around Sedona before departing for California. The scenery was (yet again) breathtaking.
We then headed off westbound. We went through a small town called Jerome, AZ. It was a super cool little town with wineries and galleries. If we weren't trying to get further west tod…
Grand Canyon
We headed out of Moab this morning across Monument Valley. More amazing scenery all along the way.
We had planned to go to Sedona and then onto the Grand Canyon tomorrow. But looking at the map we realized if we just detoured 30 minutes off our path we could hit the Grand Canyon today. Movin…
Arches National Park
Late last night we pulled into our "Glamping" spot at Moab Under Canvas. In the morning we awoke to a bit of fog. The place is gorgeous. Big king beds inside the tents. The problem is that the place is located right next to a busy highway. So that sort of spoiled the feeling of being out in the…
Moab
We left Colorado Springs in the rain today. Coming over the pass from Denver it rained and there was a ton of traffic due to road construction. Oh fun. But it was all worth it when we got to the cut off from HWY 70 onto HWY 128. From there to Moab the scenery is spectacular. The pictures don't …
Garden of the Gods
After breakfast we headed off to the "Garden of the Gods" park. This is what we came to Colorado Springs to see. The pictures tell the story. The rock formations here are stunning. Red stones thrust up through the earth into other worldly like spires.
This is known as "balancing rock" for…
Colorado Springs
Today we stopped at a couple of wineries along the way to Colorado Springs. Nothing to write home about, but anything to get us out of the car along the way!
We stayed at a seriously funky place called the Stagecoach Motel - its an old drive-in hotel from the 1950's that has never been updated. …